Summer jobs
Do you remember the jobs you had when you were a kid, teen or young adult? Maybe it was delivering newspapers, cutting lawns, babysitting or working at a retail store. Maybe you were a camp counselor, lifeguard or took care of neighbors’ pets. Did you tutor others, work construction or wait tables?
Trying a variety of jobs or volunteer activities when we were younger exposed us to new experiences, reinforced interests we already had and increased our awareness of what we did and did not enjoy. It boosted our confidence and sense of worth at a pivotal time in our lives.
When I was in high school, I worked part-time in a local department store. I enjoyed helping customers find what they were looking for and socializing with co-workers, but I did not like standing on my feet for hours and absolutely hated clearing out fitting rooms and rehanging clothes!
Grab some paper or open a new page on your device and try this…
Page 1 - Look Back
Make 3 columns. In column 1, list the summer, part-time, afterschool or volunteer jobs you had when you were younger. Then, in column 2, list what you liked about that job and in column 3, list what you didn’t like about it.
The goal of this exercise is to tap into how we feel when remembering the range of different jobs we got to try out - less about what jobs suited us best.
Page 2 - Look Forward
Make 3 columns. In column 1, list the things you’re curious about doing now. In column 2, note why it interests you and in column 3, list 2 (easy/simple) things you can do to explore this contribution or activity.
What have you “always wanted” to do?
What is on your “when I have more time” list?
What did you never think you could do - but secretly wanted to?
What dreams did you put on the shelf that you might want to revisit?
What aspects of your career work did you love and how can you share them with others now?
Working a part-time or summer job when we’re younger is a common practice. It helps us get ready for what’s coming next with more information about what we can and want to do. So, how can we adapt that adolescent rite of passage to embrace our new stage of self-discovery and fresh starts in service of our healthy longevity?